Cephas Kent of the Suffield, CT Kents= DAR A 064970, Patriotic Service, VT

Born Apr. 13, 1725 in Suffield, Hartford County, Connecticut, USA. Died Dec. 5, 1809 in Dorset, Bennington County, Vermont, USA.

Wife: Hannah Spencer (1825-1809), daughter of Thomas Spencer and Mary TRUMBULL.

Children:

1. Mary Kent (1748-1753)
2. John Kent (1749-1849), married 1. Lucy SYKES, six children, married 2. Ruth Emily BARBER Herman, no issue.
3. Hannah Kent (1751-1791), married Nathan Montgomery MANLEY, seven children.
4. Cephas Kent, Jr. (1754-1813), married Lydia SHELDON, ten children.
5. Moses Kent (1756-1842), married Abigail HARMON, three children.
6. Rev. Dan Kent (1758-1835), married 1. Abigail Sykes, six children, married 2. Betsy GRISWORLD, eight children.
7. Mary Kent (1760-1850), married Thomas Patrick ARCHIBOLD.
8. Alexander Kent (1762-1813), married Mercy GREY, seven children.
9. Deborah Kent (1766-?)
10. Martin Kent (1769-1857), married 1. Huldah Sykes, five children, married 2. Lydia FULLER, 3. Mehitable ?, 4. Aurelia Sykes

Sources and Notes

Exerpted from The Kent Family History by Margery Norris:

Born in CT, (Cephas Kent) moved himself and his family to Dorset, VT in 1773. He owned and operated a small tavern there. The tavern (he) built was destined to play a part in Vermont's history. At that time Vermont was not a state. Indeed, the area was not even called Vermont. Sandwiched between New York and New Hampshire, it was constantly in dispute and claimed by both. New York claimed it was included in its 1664 grant from Charles II, but had made no effort to settle it. New Hampshire, desiring to expand its frontier to the west, simply expropriated the land and proceeded to grant 131 charters in the territory, which then became known as the New Hampshire Grants. New York retaliated by declaring the Grants null and void and telling the settlers they would have to repurchase the land from New York (at a much higher price) if they wished to stay. The New Hampshire Grantees countered by organizing the "Green Mountain Boys," an informal alliance of civilian soldiers who successfully prevented the settlers from being evicted. By 1775, the controversy had reached the point that the Grantees decided to take official action, and they held a general convention in Cephas Kent's tavern. Matters discussed at that meeting were not limited to their internal affairs but also included the general cause of American independence. The Continental Congress had voted to pay the Green Mountain Boys for their services and had asked that a regiment be formed in the New Hampshire Grants. The Grantees wanted to join in the general rebellion but not as a part of New Hampshire and certainly not as a part of New York. So they petitioned the Continental Congress to intervene in their behalf against New York and permit the Grantees to serve independently in the war of rebellion.
The Grantees met three more times during the course of the next year, always in Cephas Kent's tavern, and on 25 June 1776 voted "that application be made to the inhabitants of said Grants to form the same into a separate district." Later that day the convention bound itself "to defend by arms the United American States against the hostile attempts of the British fleet and armies until the present unhappy controversy between the two countries shall be settled." This was the first official step toward Vermont's independence.
Thus, the future state of Vermont was underway. The town of Windsor claims to be the birthplace of Vermont, and, indeed, it was there, on 2 July 1777, that the constitution was adopted and the name chosen. But it was in Dorset at Cephas Kent's tavern that the idea of Vermont was born; and, as Zephine Humphrey put it, "The idea is the dynamic reality and the fact its shadow." In 1790 New York finally relinquished her claims, and on 18 Feb 1791, Congress admitted Vermont as the fourteenth state. In 1912 the Vermont Society of Colonial Dames erected an historical marker at the site of the Cephas Kent Inn in Dorset.

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The agreements made at Cephas Kent's tavern are commonly known as The Dorset Accords.

Parents: Capt. John Kent (1688-1737) and his first wife, Mary SMITH (1688-1729), daughter of Samuel Smith and Johanna CLAFLIN.

Wife: Hannah Spencer (1825-1809), daughter of Thomas Spencer and Mary TRUMBULL.

Children:
1. Mary Kent (1748-1753)
2. John Kent (1749-1849), married 1. Lucy SYKES, six children, married 2. Ruth Emily BARBER Herman, no issue. 3. Hannah Kent (1751-1791), married Nathan Montgomery MANLEY, seven children. 4. Cephas Kent, Jr. (1754-1813), married Lydia SHELDON, ten children. 5. Moses Kent (1756-1842), married Abigail HARMON, three children. 6. Rev. Dan Kent (1758-1835), married 1. Abigail Sykes, six children, married 2. Betsy GRISWORLD, eight children. 7. Mary Kent (1760-1850), married Thomas Patrick ARCHIBOLD. 8. Alexander Kent (1762-1813), married Mercy GREY, seven children. 9. Deborah Kent (1766-?) 10. Martin Kent (1769-1857), married 1. Huldah Sykes, five children, married 2. Lydia FULLER, 3. Mehitable ?, 4. Aurelia Sykes

Born in CT, (Cephas Kent) moved himself and his family to Dorset, VT in 1773. He owned and operated a small tavern there. The tavern (he) built was destined to play a part in Vermont's history. At that time Vermont was not a state. Indeed, the area was not even called Vermont. Sandwiched between New York and New Hampshire, it was constantly in dispute and claimed by both. New York claimed it was included in its 1664 grant from Charles II, but had made no effort to settle it. New Hampshire, desiring to expand its frontier to the west, simply expropriated the land and proceeded to grant 131 charters in the territory, which then became known as the New Hampshire Grants. New York retaliated by declaring the Grants null and void and telling the settlers they would have to repurchase the land from New York (at a much higher price) if they wished to stay. The New Hampshire Grantees countered by organizing the "Green Mountain Boys," an informal alliance of civilian soldiers who successfully prevented the settlers from being evicted. By 1775, the controversy had reached the point that the Grantees decided to take official action, and they held a general convention in Cephas Kent's tavern. Matters discussed at that meeting were not limited to their internal affairs but also included the general cause of American independence. The Continental Congress had voted to pay the Green Mountain Boys for their services and had asked that a regiment be formed in the New Hampshire Grants. The Grantees wanted to join in the general rebellion but not as a part of New Hampshire and certainly not as a part of New York. So they petitioned the Continental Congress to intervene in their behalf against New York and permit the Grantees to serve independently in the war of rebellion.

The Grantees met three more times during the course of the next year, always in Cephas Kent's tavern, and on 25 June 1776 voted "that application be made to the inhabitants of said Grants to form the same into a separate district." Later that day the convention bound itself "to defend by arms the United American States against the hostile attempts of the British fleet and armies until the present unhappy controversy between the two countries shall be settled." This was the first official step toward Vermont's independence.

Thus, the future state of Vermont was underway. The town of Windsor claims to be the birthplace of Vermont, and, indeed, it was there, on 2 July 1777, that the constitution was adopted and the name chosen. But it was in Dorset at Cephas Kent's tavern that the idea of Vermont was born; and, as Zephine Humphrey put it, "The idea is the dynamic reality and the fact its shadow." In 1790 New York finally relinquished her claims, and on 18 Feb 1791, Congress admitted Vermont as the fourteenth state. In 1912 the Vermont Society of Colonial Dames erected an historical marker at the site of the Cephas Kent Inn in Dorset.

• ***********************************

The agreements made at Cephas Kent's tavern are commonly known as The Dorset Accords.

• ***********************************

Parents: Capt. John Kent (1688-1737) and his first wife, Mary SMITH (1688-1729), daughter of Samuel Smith and Johanna CLAFLIN.

Wife: Hannah Spencer (1825-1809), daughter of Thomas Spencer and Mary TRUMBULL.

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Patriot of the American Revolution. Daughters of the American Revolution Patriot Number A064970.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=10564124

Ancestor #: A064970

GOODRICH, ROLLS OF THE SOLS IN THE REV WAR 1775-1783, PP 815, 837; WILBUR, EARLY HISTORY OF VT, VOL 1, P 330
Service Description: 1) MEMBER OF COMMITTEE OF WAR, 1775; MEMBER OF WINDSOR CONVENTION, 1777